Steam-boiler



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. H. FOWLER.

STEAM BOILER.

No. 323,412. Patented Aug. 4. 1885.

(No Model.)

STEAM BOILER.

Patented Aug. 4, 1885.

J m/W UNITED STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

ARTHUR H. FO'WLER, OF NEVARK, OHIO.

STEAM-BOILER.

FSPBCIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 323,412, dated August 4, 1885.

Application filed May 16. 1884.

To all wit-0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. FOWLER. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, Licking county, Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Steam- Boilers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention consists ofimprovements, fully described and claimed hereinafter, in that class of steam-boilers in which transverse water-tubes cross the combustionchamber.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a vertical section of my improved steam-boiler and its mountings; Fig. 2, a sectional perspective view of part of the fire-box and tubes; Fig. 3, a perspective view of part of the grate; Fig. 4, a perspective view, on a reduced scale, of the base-bar of the boiler; Fig. 5, Sheet 2, a sectional plan on the line 1 2, Fig. 1; and Fig. 6, a sectional plan on the line 3 4, Fig. 1.

Both the outer shell, A, and the fire-box B of the boiler are quadrangular.

There may be suitable stays connecting the top I) of the outer shell with the crown a of the fire-box and across the water-spaces d on all sides of the boiler; but it has not been deemed necessary to show these stays, the number and arrangement of which may be modified as the pressure which the boiler has to resist may suggest. For instance, if the boiler has to be used for steam-heating purposes, (and this will generally be the case,) the stays may be comparatively few in numher.

The tubes 6 are secured to the fire-box in the manner shown in Fig. 5 and in the sectional perspective view, Fig. 2, where it will be seen that alternate tubes 6 6 6 850., of one set are secured to the side plate, m, of the firebox, the free closed ends of the tubes be ing at a short distance from the opposite side plate, a, of the fire-box, the other tubes, h h, Cue, of the same set being secured to the said plate n, and their closed ends being free from contact with the plate m of the fire-box. This arrangement of tubes is maintained throughout the series, so that one half, or thereabout, of the whole of the tubes shall be carried by one plate, or, and the other half by the other plate, '22, of the firebox.

(No model.)

If desired, the free ends of one set of tubes may be supported within the firebox in any suitable manner.

This mode of combining the tubes with the fire-box is much more economical than the usual plan of securing both ends of each tube, one to one plate and the other to the opposite plate of a fire-box. Moreover, it permits the ready removal of any of the tubes when such removal becomes necessary; for it should be understood that the tubes are secured to the plates at n by screwing them into the openings or by means of nuts, and that the space between the closed end of the tube and the adjacent plate of the fire-box is sufficient to permit the longitudinal movement of the tube necessary to free its end from the plate to which it is secured. Each tube may have a partition, an internal tube, or other well known means of insuring a circulation of water through the tube.

I have fully described the arrangement of the tubes, and I prefer this arrangement, although I lay no special claim to it, nor is my invention limited thereto.

The grating consists of two parts-naniely, the inclined grate D and the narrow horizont-al grate E. Theinclined.grateconsists,preferably, of a number of bars, p, the ends of each bar bearing in notches in the cross-bars i i, and projections on one bar extending between projections on the other bar, as shown in Fig. 3. lVith these bars is combined mechanism for vibrating them; but as the structure of the bars and vibrating devices forms no part of my invention, further explanation of these parts will be unnecessary. With the space \V between the lowest row of tubes and the grate, this space constituting the corn bustion-chamber, communicates the fuelreservoir V, extending across the fire-box and bounded front and back by the front of the firebox and the first verticalrow Y of tubes, the latter being so close together as to form a water-back which will effectually resist the heat to which it is subjected, and which is much more economical than a waterback made of plates secured to the plates of the firebox. I prefer to secure a perforated plate, '20, in front of and in contact with this first row of tubes,

in order to prevent the fuel from gaining access to the spaces between the tubes. boiler is placed in a quadrangular brick structure, and the products of combustion from the outlet of the boiler pass down a fine, j, be tween the rear wall, 70, and boiler, and through the opening Z in the said wall to the chimney;

or, if desired, a discharge -opening may be placed at each side near the lower front end ofthe structure, as shown by dotted lines 'in Fig. 1, or may be otherwise located so as to cause a circulation of the products of combustion around the boiler after they escape from the opening g.

By making the boiler-casing quadrangular to accord with the shape of the outer brick structure, I am enabled to obtain a much greater heating-surface than when the boiler-casing is cylindrical, as usual. A fuel feeder, M, passes through the front wall, In, and extends into the feed-opening q in front of the boiler, the feeder being provided with a hinged door, 1. Forming part of this feeder and communicating therewith is a casing, t,and adapted to this casing, so as to be moved up and down freely therein, is a weight, n, a cord or chain attached to which passes oversuitably-located pulleys, andhangs down in front of the furnace so as to be within easy reach of the attendant.

There is an ash-pit opening, u, in the front wall of the furnace, and this is provided with a hinged door, a, and above the ash-pit and in the front wall of the furnace there is an opening, a, corresponding with openings y in front of the boiler, each opening y being furnished with a door, 3/.

The shells of the boiler and fire-box extend down to and are riveted to the base-frame P, which, as shown in Fig. 4, has an offset, 1?, at the front for the ash-pit opening a. This frame P rests directly upon the foundation of the boiler, thus dispensing with the usual costly cast-iron base, and forming a mud chamber below the grate and away from the destructive influence of the heat.

Between the uppermost tube of the series Y and the crown-plate a of the boiler is a valve or damper, s, which can be adjusted at pleasure from the exterior of the structure, this valve being opened when it is desired to provide a ready means of escape for the gases arising from the heated mass of fuel in the reservoir Vas, for instance, when fresh fuel is being supplied to the feeder M.

A casing, N, (shown in Fig. 6,) extends through one of the side walls of the brickwork into a side opening in the boiler, and this casing is furnished with a suitable door, N. The opening affords a direct communication with the combustion-chamber W, and thus permits an inspection of the fire, when desired, and also provides for the ready insertion and ignition of wood or other fuel in starting the fire.

Coal is introduced into the feeder M so as The to fill the latter and the reservoir V and extend over the grating to a height indicated by the dotted line 2, the burning of the fuel being limited mainly to the mass on the grating, and the fuel above descending as the mass on the grating is consumed.

There are coals which are apt to become caked at the junction of the reservoir V with the combustion-chamber \V, and thus impede the descent of the fuel. This descent may be facilitated by raising the weight n and permitting it to fall on the mass of coal in the feeder; or a suitable instrument may be introduced into any of the openings 1 and '1 so as to break up the caked mass which may have formed at the junction of the reservoir V and the combustion-chamber.

From time to time the bars of the grate may be vibrated to clear away the ashes from the incandescent fuel, and a still further clearance of the ashes and clinkers may be effected by tilting the grate E.

It has not been deemed necessary to illustrate or describe the safety-valve, steam-pipes, 850., with which the boiler must be furnished, and which are common to other boilers.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the fire box of a steam-boiler, the transverse tubes therein, a

grate between which and the lowest set of tubes is the combustion-chamber W, and the vertical fuel-reservoir V, communicating with the said combustion-chamber and situated between the front set of tubes and the front of the fire-box, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the fire-box of a steam boiler, having a fuel -reservoir, V, a combustion-chamber, and transverse tubes, with a series,Y, of tubes in contact, or nearly so, with each other, and located as described,

so as to form a water-back between the combustion-chamber and fuel-reservoir, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the fire-box of a steam-boiler and a row,Y, of tubes in contact, or nearly so, with each other, so as to form a water-back, with a perforated plate, 20, placed in front of the said row of tubes, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the fire-box containing a series of tubes, the inclined grate D, the combustion-chamber W, the fuel-reservoir V at one end of said chamber and within the boiler-casing, and the inclined feeder M, communicating with the reservoir, as set forth- 5. The combination of the fire box and boiler-casings, the inclined grate D, and the base-frame P, forming the bottom bearing for the boiler on three sides, but having at the front an offset, P, for the ash-pit opening, as set forth.

6. The combination of the inclined grate, the combustion-chamber W, the fuel-reservoir V at the end of the same, and the transverse water-tubes, with the fire-box and boiler-caseating with the combustion chamber between I ber of the boiler and at the lower end with the tubes and the lower portion of the inclined i the outlet Z, as set forth. grate, as set forth. In testimony whereof I have signed my 7. The combination of the quadrangular name to this specification in the presence of 5 boiler-casing having internal combustiontwo subscribing witnesses.

chamber, the outer quadrangular brick structure having an opening, Z, at or near the bot- ARTHUR FOWLER tom, and the fine j between the boiler-casing Vitnesses: and outer structure, sa id flue communicating JOHN M. CLAYTON, to at the upper end with the eoinbustioncham- HARRY SMITH. 

